CONTACT: Melissa Slagle 303-867-6306
mslagle@beefboard.org
“TEXAS HOLD’EM” DEALT A WIN IN BEEF INNOVATION
CONTEST
Visionary Design, a division of Smithfield Beef
Group, recognized for innovation
and imagination in creating new beef products.
(CENTENNIAL, Colo.)
– Visionary Design has been awarded first prize
in the new Beef Innovation Contest, initiated by
the checkoff-funded Beef Innovations Group
(BIG). This innovative product is a grilled beef
short rib that has been Frenched and scored to
the bone, so you can eat while holding it in
your hands or simply slice down the bone for
tender pieces of beef. The announcement was made
during the Research Chefs Association (RCA)
Annual Conference and Culinology®
Expo in Seattle.
“This is another example of an innovative new
product designed for today’s consumer. Checkoff-funded
efforts continue to deliver easy-to-make,
easy-to-eat, healthy beef options for family
dinner tables, which only adds value to us, the
producer,” says Cattlemen’s Beef Board member
Mark Pendleton, backgrounder/stocker from
Lawsonville, N.C., and vice chair of the
checkoff’s Joint New Product & Culinary
Initiatives Committee. “The added benefit as we
continue to find new recipes and applications
for beef is working toward increasing demand 10
percent by 2010 as outlined in our Long Range
Plan.”
A diverse panel of experts judged the competing
products based on their creativity, uniqueness,
taste and healthy convenience qualities.
“Response to the contest exceeded expectations
in this, our debut year,” says Ellen Gibson,
executive director, New Product Initiatives for
the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
(NCBA). “The Texas Hold’em is an innovative
product that will bring convenience and flavor
to consumers that crave the great taste of
beef.”
This award, presented to Gene Gagliardi of
Visionary Design, carries a top prize of $50,000
in advertising support to promote the new beef
product. Gagliardi and the winning product are
also being featured in print advertisements and
on the BIG Web site. Details on the 2009 BIG
Beef Innovation Contest will be available in
May.
BIG works to develop imaginative beef menu items
and products through partnerships with
manufacturers, foodservice operators and
retailers. To see the winning product, learn
more about next years contest or for more
information about BIG, visit www.beefinnovationsgroup.com.
For more information about the beef checkoff,
visit
www.beefboard.org.
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as
part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff
assesses $1 per head on the sale of live
domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a
comparable assessment on imported beef and beef
products. States retain up to 50 cents on the
dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head
to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research
Board, which administers the national checkoff
program, subject to USDA approval.
Founded in 1996, the Research Chefs
Association (RCA) has rapidly grown to over
2,000 members, including chefs, food scientists,
technologists, culinologists, writers,
nutritionists, academicians, researchers,
consultants, sales and marketing professionals,
suppliers, co-packers, distributors and
students. RCA is the premier source of culinary
and technical information for the food industry
and is committed to the advancement of
Culinology® –the blending of the culinary arts
and food science. For more information, visit www.culinology.org.
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